Hellenic Army

Hellenic Army
Ελληνικός Στρατός
Hellenic Army Seal
Hellenic Army Seal
Founded1821 (de facto)
1828 (official)
Country Greece
TypeLand Forces
RoleNational Defence
SizeIn peacetime:
200,000 personnel[1][2]
Wartime strength:
1,750,000+[3][2]
Part ofHellenic Armed Forces
FormationsFormations of the Hellenic Army
PatronSaint George
Motto(s)Ἐλεύθερον τὸ Εὔψυχον
"Freedom Stems from Valour"
ColorsBlue-gray, Khaki & Olive    
Equipment1,365 MBTs
6,143 IFVs & APCs
4,840 Artillery pieces
WebsiteHellenic Army
Commanders
Chief of the Army General StaffLt. Gen. Georgios Kostidis [4]
Notable
commanders
Lt. Gen. Theodoros Kolokotronis
Lt. Gen. Panagiotis Danglis
Lt. Gen. Leonidas Paraskevopoulos
Fld. Marshal Constantine I
Lt. Gen. Ioannis Metaxas
Lt. Gen. Georgios Kondylis
Lt. Gen. Nikolaos Plastiras
Fld. Marshal Alexander Papagos
Lt. Gen. Thrasyvoulos Tsakalotos
(see list of generals)
Insignia
Identification markingΕΣ
Vehicle marking
Regimental War Flag

The Hellenic Army (Greek: Ελληνικός Στρατός, romanizedEllinikós Stratós, sometimes abbreviated as ΕΣ), formed in 1828, is the land force of Greece. The term Hellenic is the endogenous synonym for Greek. The Hellenic Army is the largest of the three branches of the Hellenic Armed Forces, also constituted by the Hellenic Air Force (HAF) and the Hellenic Navy (HN). The army is commanded by the chief of the Hellenic Army General Staff (HAGS), which in turn is under the command of Hellenic National Defence General Staff (HNDGS).

The motto of the Hellenic Army is [Ἐλεύθερον τὸ Εὔψυχον] Error: {{Lang}}: invalid parameter: |3= (help) ('Freedom stems from valour'), from Thucydides's History of the Peloponnesian War (2.43.4), a remembrance of the ancient warriors that defended Greek lands in old times. The Hellenic Army Emblem is the two-headed eagle with a Greek Cross escutcheon in the centre.

The Hellenic Army is also the main contributor to, and lead nation of, the Balkan Battle Group, a combined-arms rapid-response force under the EU Battlegroup structure.[5]

  1. ^ Ελληνική Άμυνα και Τεχνολογία, Ετήσια Ανασκόπηση, Ισορροπία Δυνάμεων 2016–2017, Εκδόσεις Δυρός
  2. ^ a b "Defence Data Portal". Default. 30 November 2023.
  3. ^ Ελληνική Άμυνα και Τεχνολογία, Ετήσια Ισορροπία Δυνάμεων 2019–2020, Εκδόσεις Δυρός
  4. ^ Georgios Kostidis: Who is the new Chief of General Staff - His CV
  5. ^ Official Greek Defence Staff PR (18MB).